AT&T never took anything away from users, and never offered facetime over 3g until now. They added 3g facetime as a subscriber benefit to data plans that allow potential heavy-use compensation to AT&T in the form of overages. That's really the entire story, no net-neutrality issue here.

AT&T is blocking a third party usage of their network, which is the very definition of a network neutrality violation. AT&T claims they can do this because FaceTime is built into iOS.

Say AT&T decides they want to block YouTube, which is another built-in app (in iOS 5 and earlier). Well according to AT&T, they can block it if they want. Now as of iOS 6, YouTube is no longer built-in, it's a downloadable app. According to AT&T, they can't block those apps.

So if AT&T was blocking YouTube, they could do so under iOS 5, but not iOS 6. That makes as much sense as AT&T blocking FaceTime and claiming that they are "allowing it over WiFi" (which makes even less sense).--The Comcast Disney Avatar has been retired.]]>http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Not-sure-what-the-big-deal-is-27536619Tue, 18 Sep 2012 15:36:14 EDTRe: Not sure what the big deal is?http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Not-sure-what-the-big-deal-is-27536498
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Not-sure-what-the-big-deal-is-27536498Tue, 18 Sep 2012 14:57:49 EDTRe: Not sure what the big deal is?http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Not-sure-what-the-big-deal-is-27536423
It infuriates me when people say things like vote with your wallet or they can screw customers all they want.These are laissez faire capitalist arguments, which have been repeated a ridiculousness amount of times in all tech forums since 2008, the situation isn't even considered, just the same right wing mantra repeated over and over.

In economies of scale, utility providers, monopolies or duopolies free market idea's simply don't work. Most people need better coverage than T-mobile or Sprint provides, so most people are stuck in the AT&T/Verizon duopoly whose prices are for all practical purposes identical, as they don't want actual competition, and they actively buy up spectrum to prevent any real competition from forming.]]>http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Not-sure-what-the-big-deal-is-27536423Tue, 18 Sep 2012 14:33:29 EDTRe: Not sure what the big deal is?http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Not-sure-what-the-big-deal-is-27536183
These companies should do nothing more than provide you the service, how you choose to use it is your business. And before you try to pull the lame and BS "network management" card, they have all the network management they need with caps and overages on wireless connections. How quickly you use your allocated time is not their business. As long as you are willing to use it and pay for more through the system they setup, then it is not their concern.]]>http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Not-sure-what-the-big-deal-is-27536183Tue, 18 Sep 2012 13:26:14 EDTRe: Not sure what the big deal is?http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Not-sure-what-the-big-deal-is-27536063
ATT has ever right to require this just as they require you to have a certain data plan to use tethering. Those customers don't like it, tell them not to buy the new iPhone from ATT.]]>http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Not-sure-what-the-big-deal-is-27536063Tue, 18 Sep 2012 12:49:22 EDTRe: Not sure what the big deal is?http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Not-sure-what-the-big-deal-is-27536023
More practically, once again, AT&T (in this case) isn't actually *blocking* anything; they're *restricting* the usage of a service on their network to certain categories of usage (say, wifi, or to certain blocks of data, versus unlimited).

Yet, as I've said before, maybe there'll be enough of an outcry that AT&T will eventually relent on their current policy, which is meant to protect their property.

For me, yes -- I'm on an unlimited plan as well, and when I receive my iPhone 5, I know that my "throttled" limit goes to 5GB (even though all my past monthly usage shows I never go beyond 2GB). I think the idea of using FaceTime over the cellular network is a waste of two things: time and bandwidth.

First, you have to get sender and receiver set up to do the call, then the network has to be clear enough to ensure that the reception is decent enough to even carry on the call for the duration of the call, and then to stop it.

For my wife and I, it's so much simpler to either text each other or make a plain, old, telephone call. But maybe that's just us.]]>http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Not-sure-what-the-big-deal-is-27536023Tue, 18 Sep 2012 12:34:32 EDTRe: Not sure what the big deal is?http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Not-sure-what-the-big-deal-is-27535990
If I owned my own wireless telephone network, and I knew that certain devices tended to "overstay" their welcome on the network to the point that there were imminent, potential ramifications to others who were similarly on my network, then I have the right (as the owner of said network) to restrict usage based on those products/services that tend to have a bigger "overstay" potential.

Also remember that this isn't *blocking* usage, this is *restricting* usage. Then again, perhaps if enough people find such restrictions harmful enough to their general usage and enjoyment of network rental, perhaps the owner of said network will relent and make a change.]]>http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Not-sure-what-the-big-deal-is-27535990Tue, 18 Sep 2012 12:28:15 EDTRe: Not sure what the big deal is?http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Not-sure-what-the-big-deal-is-27535907
However, for customers paying for blocks of data, I think the FCC should strictly enforce net neutrality. If I'm paying for a specific quantity of data, I should be able to use it however I want. I shouldn't have to pay extra for tethering or FaceTime. There's no excuse other than gouging to force people to switch to a share plan for this feature.

I get your argument that it's their business, but sometimes the government needs to step in to prevent outright consumer abuse. Remember when we were required to rent a landline phone from the phone company? Remember when we used to have to pay per TV connected to cable? (Oh, wait...) --AT&T U-Hearse - RIP Unlimited Internet 1995-2011Rethink Billable.]]>http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Not-sure-what-the-big-deal-is-27535907Tue, 18 Sep 2012 11:59:30 EDTRe: Not sure what the big deal is?http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Not-sure-what-the-big-deal-is-27535890
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Not-sure-what-the-big-deal-is-27535890Tue, 18 Sep 2012 11:53:33 EDTRe: Not sure what the big deal is?http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Not-sure-what-the-big-deal-is-27535822
For the most part only AT&T and Verizon have good nationwide coverage, especially over Sprint and T-Mobile. This has been said over and over by many here that use their services and have used "competitors". So with that in mind it really isn't a matter of just switching to another carrier and it really isn't that they are so big because they are "better".

If all things were equal and you can get Sprint, T-Moble, AT&T or Verizon with the same services quality all over this nation then 1 of 2 things would happen: 1.) Verizon and AT&T would actually compete and have lower prices along with unlimited data / voice / text. or 2.) Sprint and T-Mobile would be eating Verizon's and AT&T's lunch.

Unfortunately that is not the world we live in. Right now we have 2 companies that own a vast majority of the market because they own a vast majority of the spectrum and coverage of the country. Therefore those 2 companies do not compete with one another nor with any smaller competitors. Instead, they coexist and extract as much as regulations and their monopolistic market control will allow without being officially labeled as such or as companies in collusion.]]>http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Not-sure-what-the-big-deal-is-27535822Tue, 18 Sep 2012 11:37:07 EDTLaughing Randall says...http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Laughing-Randall-says-27535817
Me and the boys at the FCC love sitting around the table knockin back brews while reading these and getting a good laugh out of them!

AT&T never took anything away from users, and never offered facetime over 3g until now. They added 3g facetime as a subscriber benefit to data plans that allow potential heavy-use compensation to AT&T in the form of overages. That's really the entire story, no net-neutrality issue here.

And those filing the complaint with the FCC bring up the deaf as being discriminated against - guess what - there are other products for the iPhone that can do what Facetime does. Ever hear of Skype? So the deaf won't be shut out from communicating face to face.--»www.gop.com/2012-republican-plat ··· rm_home/»www.gop.com/2012-republican-plat ··· onalism/]]>http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Not-sure-what-the-big-deal-is-27535769Tue, 18 Sep 2012 11:25:46 EDTRe: Not sure what the big deal is?http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Not-sure-what-the-big-deal-is-27535716
If you don't like a companies policy you can always leave when your contract is up. You can bitch and moan all you want but if you keep paying your bill they are going to assume you are a happy customer. They are in the business of making money and if they don't see a change in revenue then they are going to assume that they are on the right track. Until people get off their lazy asses and start leaving companies over stuff like this they are going to keep doing this stuff.

Right now Sprint has unlimited data for the iPhone and Verizon and AT&T has caps. Verizon and AT&T are the two biggest wireless carriers so it appears in numbers that people are happy with caps. If there was a mass exodus to Sprint from both carriers you can bet that AT&T and Verizon would notice and they would react accordingly.

It will never happen because consumers are too lazy and unwilling to make any kind of sacrifice to change the norm.--I do not, have not, and will not work for AT&T/Comcast/Verizon/Charter or similar sized company.]]>http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Not-sure-what-the-big-deal-is-27535716Tue, 18 Sep 2012 11:17:32 EDTRe: Not sure what the big deal is?http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Not-sure-what-the-big-deal-is-27535723
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Not-sure-what-the-big-deal-is-27535723Tue, 18 Sep 2012 11:15:13 EDTRe: Not sure what the big deal is?http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Not-sure-what-the-big-deal-is-27535662
Who owns the network? Who owns FaceTime?

These are both critical questions when considering any argument RE: net neutrality.

In answer to my own questions, the former is AT&T and the latter is Apple. So, if it's their property, and I as a consumer agree to use said property per certain terms and conditions (and assuming that these conditions are legally applicable), then I am beholden to the property owner for so long as I agree to be bound by said terms and conditions.]]>http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Re-Not-sure-what-the-big-deal-is-27535662Tue, 18 Sep 2012 11:02:29 EDTNot sure what the big deal is?http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Not-sure-what-the-big-deal-is-27535624
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/Not-sure-what-the-big-deal-is-27535624Tue, 18 Sep 2012 10:53:37 EDT